Improvement in apparatus for the manufacture of gas



5 Sheets-Sheet 1' u. J. J'ERZMANOWSKI. Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas.

Patented Feb'. 5, 1878.

www

` sheets-Sheetz. E. J. JERZMANOWSKI. .Apparatus for th Manufacture of Gas. NO.199,912

Patented Feb. 5,1878.

E E Y w.. m Nr@ 5 Sheets-#Sheet 3.

E. J. JERZMNQWSKI. Apparatus. for the Manufacture of Gas.

"Rn III-Il v Patented Feb. 5,1878.

www@ s 5 Sheets-Sheet 4. E. J. JERZM-ANOWSKI.

AApparatus for the Manufacture of Gras. No.19 9,912. Patented Feb. 5, |878.

l Maw/wy N.FETER5, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, -WASHINGTON. D Y

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

E. J. JERZMANOWSKI. Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas.

No. 199,912. Patented Feb. 5,1878.

.00 5f/Mr u UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERAZM J. JERZMANOWSKI, OF YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FoR THE MANUFACTURE oF GAS.

Specification forming part of LettersPatent No. 199,912, dated February 5, 1878; application filed August 20,1877.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERAZM J J ERZMANOW- SKI, of the city of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful a full, true, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

.The object of my invention is to make a simple and yet effective apparatus for the production of illuminating and other gases, especially that which is known as water-gas, which gas is the result of the decomposition of water when in the shape of steam, due to its immediate contact with a highly-heated incandescent substance, such as coal. I have heretofore taken out a patent for an apparatus intended to accomplish this result, which patent is dated the 23d of May, 1876, and numbered 177,721. My present apparatus is animprovement upon the one there patented to me, with several important variations; and it consists generally of the gas-generator or gasogene, which is a retort or chamber filled with the incandescent substance which produces the water-gas. In the walls of this are situated a series of superheaters, for the purpose of superheating the steam and air which are employed in the manufacture of the gas. These superheaters are kept entirely distinct throughout their entire'extent, and, until the entry of the steam and air into the retort or chamber, they do not come in contact, and are maintained at diiferent pressures, the advantages of which will be hereinafter explained. I have also greatly simplified the process .by reducing the number of valves necessary, and have arranged the connections in a more convenient way. v

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in all my drawings.

Figure 1 represents an end elevation, show-v ing the connections of the superheaters, and showing the handles for operating the valves'. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of my apparatus, showing the connections of the tuyeres and the back connections for operating the steam and air valves; also, the connections of one form of my apparatus for purging and for allowing the passage of the gas into the gas-holder. Fig. 3 represents a crosssection through the side of my apparatus, showing the steam and air superheaters in position. Fig, 4 represents a lateral cross-section through the same, showing the tuyeres in section, and also the superheating-pipes. A

gas-tight valve for admitting the coal is also shown. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of my apparatus, showing another and the simplest form of valve for purging and for admitting the gas to the gas-holder. Fig. 6 is a cross-section through Fig. 5 on the line a' w. Fig. 5 is a cross-section through Fig. 6 on the line x Fig. 7 represents another modification of my apparatus, showing the detail of the valves. Fig. 8 is a larger 4cross-section view of my improved tuyeres.

In the manufacture of this gas it is necessary to constantly replenish the supply of fuel which is being withdrawn from the bottom of the gas-generating chamber; and, in order that this may be readily accomplished, I place a gas-tight valve (shown at A in my figures) on top of the generator, which consists of an annular cup, which is filled with water by means of a pipe not here shown, which water is let off at the proper height by means of the pipe g, Fig. 1. Into this annular water-chainber a corresponding inverted metallic cup, a, Fig. 4, is dropped. As this passes beneath the surface of the water it makes an absolutely gas-tight joint, while at the same time it is readily removed for the purpose of charging the gas-generatingchamber. I usually employ a small derrick for the purpose of removing this cup or cover.

G represents generally my gas-generating chamber. In the walls of this are fitted superheaters H and h, which superheaters, respectively, are used to heat air and steam. The larger superheaters, H, have a corresponding set of smaller superheaters, h,`on the opposite side of the apparatus, as is 'shown in crosssection in Fig. 4. y

In Fig. l it will be observed that the steamsuperheaters are all connected, by means of the connecting-paws t, to the valves o, which are controlled by means of the lever Z.. This lever l serves to open and close the valves o,

and thereby allowsthe passage ofthe super- Vheated-steam to the pipe @whence it passes Vto thesmalier tuyeres, which I shall herein-V Y after describe. The air which Vhas b een superheated in the larger superheaters H is carried, by means of a connectin g-pi1 ie,-I,to the valve Y, controlled by the lever t', Fig. l; then, by means of the pipe T, to VtheV larger t'uyeres.V A, corresponding set of steam and air superheaters are fitted in the walls of the baci; part of the chamber G, and are controlled by means Vof the levers t 5ll and the connecting-rodsm, Y

as is clearly shown in Figs. .l and 2. In the lower part Vof the combustion-chamber are fitted ther-doubleV tuyeresIt, which are shown in detail in Fig. Through the outer tube there passes a small inner tube, 7', whichris connected to thesteam-superheatersby'means of the pipesV t: and valves @2. The purpose of this Vsmall tube is to maintain a high pressure on the steannwhicli cannot be Vaccoinplishedzif Vthe steam were allowed to escape immediately Vinto the large tuyeres Ia-fertile reasonV that n steam, in expanding, loses its heat, and there-V bybecomes less efficient for the purpose for which it is here employed. Y

complish this result.

VAfter a propercombustionhas been reach.-V

edV and the entire mass is in an Vincandescent state, superheated steam is admitted into the chamber, which is filled with the products of the reaction between the heated air and the burning fuel contained therein. The products of this combustion are generally nitrogen, carbonio acid, and carbonio oxide, and these should be driven out of the chamber before the gas is allowed to enter the gas-holder, and this is what is known as purging the gas-generating chamber.

In the apparatus shown in Fie. 2 the valve c is first elevated by the levers c and c', and then superheated air from one set of superheaters is admitted to the chamber. The products of this combustion pa-ss off by means of the valve e. Subsequently the air is shut off and steam is admitted. The superheated steam, thus admitted, serves to drive off the remaining products of the combustion and thoroughly purge the chamber, and then the valve e is closed. The only escape remaining for the gas in the chamber Gr is then by means of the pipe B through the washer M, and thence through the open valve I to theV gasholder. 4

In Fie. 7 the valve I) is first opened, which allows the escape of the products of combustion through the pipe G, and also allows the steam to purge thoroughly the chamber. Subsequently the gas, passing through the pipe B, reaches the washer M, and, las soon as the valve b is closed it isobliged te pass through the water, and leave/the Vapparatus by-theV pipeD. Y Y Y In Fig. o isshown'what I consider to be the Vbest form of apparatus. The pipe B has connected to it a valve, E, controlled bythe lever a, rod o, and lever p. This valve beingV opened, superheated air :is admitted by the valve c, the combustion is' started, and its product Vescapes by the valve E.V Subsequently steam isadmitted by the valve fr,

and the valve E continues to act as apurge-V Y valve, and allows the escape of the injurious impurities. Subsequently the valve E is closed, and then the gas which is formed by the reactions between the `superheated steam and the incandescent coal passes through the hydraulic main M, Vand escapes by the pipe it to the holder. The hydraulic main M is supplied with water by the pipe j. rihe gas thus formed consists principally of hydrogen, Y oxide of Y carbon, and light carbureted hydrogen, which is Y subsequently enriched.

By means ofthe apparatus shown in Fig. 5 one valve accomplishesall the results which were Vformerly accomplishedby the use of` three.. VThis valve l is of soap-stone, as, 1n-

deed, are the Vother valves in my apparatus, for the reason that thisV material is much more capable Vof resisting the action Vof rap- Y idly-flowing currentsV of superheated air and steam than any other material. of which I have knowledge.- VI-nd itV advantageous to use inv this apparatus the forni of superheaters Vconsisting of double .zcncentricV tubes, which tubes are set into a double series of partitions in such a way that the circulating air or steam passes in succession through the inner and the outer tubes, whereby a complete circulation through all the parts of the apparatus is obtained, and the medium is forced to come in contact with the superheatin g surface. I find these much preferable to the ordinary form of a coil-superheater, for the reason that the pipes can be readily interchanged, and generally I prefer a double concentric pipe-superheater to a single-pipe superheater.

I insulate my gas-generating chamber by means of some insulating substance, such as sand. (Marked s.) By means ofthe double set of tuyeres which I employ here, one set is heated while the other set is being used, and I am therefore able to keep up a continuous current of superheated steam or air without waiting for the heating of these superheaters.

I do not claim in this application a soapstone valve as being per se my invention, but merely its application to this particular apparatus, the said valve being the invention of Thomas F. Rowland.

I disclaim in this application the gas-tight water-cap shown in connection with the gascupola, having made a separate application for the same.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A gas-generating chamber, having within its walls two sets of superheaters, one of which is used to superheat air, the other of which is used to superheat steam, the said superheaters being connected with the interior of the gas-generating chamber by two independent sets of conducting pipes and tuyeres, whereby the steam and air are kept separate throughout their entire course, substantially as described.

2. A gas-generating chamber combined with two independent sets of superheaters, one of which is used for air, the other of which is used for steam, and two independent valves, one of which admits the superheated steam to one tuyere, the other of which admits the superheated air to another tuyere, substantially A as described.

3. A gas-generating chamber having in its walls two independent superheaters, one of which is used to superheat air, the other of being used to superheat air, the said superheaters being connected with a double tuyere, this double tuyere consisting of a small inte rior tube and a large exterior tube, the said double tuyere being constructed substantially as described, for the purpose of keeping up a pressure ot' superheated steam, while at the same time the superheated steam, being surrounded bysuperheated air which iio'ws through the outer tuyere7 is thereby protected from radiation.

5. A gas-generator having in its walls four sets of superheaters, which can be used alternately, one of each set being used for superheating air, the other being used for superheating steam, substantially as described.

6. A gas-generating chamber having in its walls four sets of superheaters, and four valves, controlling the passage of the gas through said superheaters, the said valves being connected by means of operating-levers, whereby the operator can from one point open or close the four valves, substantially as described.

7 In combination with air or steam superheaters, placed in the walls of a generaton'a soap-stone valve or valves, controlling the air or steam passing through said superheaters, substantially as described.

ERAZM J. JERZMANOWSKI.

Witnesses:

E. N. .DIoKERsoru Jr., GEO. H. EVANS, T. H. HARRAH. 

